Loader mechanism



July l, 1958 E. J. GILDNER I LOADER MECHANISM 5 Sheets-Sheet l Filed July 13, 1955 INVENTOR. ffwei/.Q/d 2i TTORNEYS July 1, 1953 E. J. GILDNER 2,841,299

LOADER MECHANISM Filed July 13. 1955 5 sheets-sheet 2 NENTOR. Ernef /dffe TTOR NEYS July 1, 1958 E. J. GlLDNr-:R

LOADER MEGHANISM 5 Sheets-Sheet I5 Filed July 13, 1955 JNVENToR. //dnen frwes @WORN/:Ys

United States Patent @fire i 2,841,299 Patented July 1, 1958 LOADER MECHANISM Ernest J. Gildner, Chcboygan, Mich.

Application July 13, 1955, Serial No. 521,811.1:

S Claims. (Cl. 214-140) This 4invention relates to hydraulic, power loading devices for loading gravel and loose, fragmentary material and products of all kinds, and specifically to a device which is readily attachable to a standard tractor and operable by power supplied by said tractor.

One of the prime objects of the invention is to provide a loading device having loader mounting brackets which are mounted directly on the heavy duty tractor cross members or truck frame in a manner to carry all load and stress created by vthe loading operation, thus relieving Ithe tractor frame of undue stress and strain.

A further object is to design a loading attachment for a bulldozer or tractor in Which the tractor operates a minimum distance backward or forward to perform the loading operation the loader being operable through a 185 angle and thus eliminating the necessity of yturning movement and the side thrusts and strains incident thereto.

A further object still is to provide a loader attachment of rugged and substantial construction which can work from both ends and on which all loads and stresses, due to loading and unloading, are absorbed by the tractor frame permitting the tracks to function in exactly the same manner as a tractor with the attachment removed.

Still a further object is to provide a loader attachment, the bucket of which swings overhead from the front to the rear, permitting the load to be dumped without turning the tractor, and with minimum of travel thereof, to thereby minimize wear and side thrust in general.

Still a further object is to provide a loader attachment on which the side bars can be set suthciently low to provide a straight-line push on the bucket or blade when loading or bulldozing, thus eliminating the tendency to lift the tractor, making for balanced loading, and eliminating racking of the bucket structure.

With the above and other'objectsin view, the present yinvention consists Vin combination and arrangement of parts, hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that changes may be made in the form, size, proportion and minor `details of construction, without departing from the spirit, or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a side elevational view of a conventional tractor with my improved loader attachment in place thereon, the solid lines showing a tractor bucket loading, the broken lines indicating the tractor travel and the path of swinging movement of the bucket as it is swung from loading position into a position for dumping into a truck.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the tractor and attachment.

Fig. 3 is a View similar to Fig. l with the truck omitted, the broken lines showing various possible positions of the bucket.

Referring now more particularly vto the drawings in which I have shown the preferred embodiment of my invention, the numeral 5 indicates a conventional tractor of the caterpillar type, including continuous treads 6,

and a trame 7 with fabricated loader mounting brackets 8 rigidly secured thereto on opposite' sides of the tractor as shown.

A bearing 9 is provided in each loader bracket Sand to which one end of each attachment arm 10'is pivotally connected as usual. A plate 11 is welded to each free end of the side attachment arms 10 and is bolted to the end plates of heavy tubular spacer members 12 to properly space said arms from each other and prevent interference with the tractor structure as the bucket is swung.

A bucket B is disposed directly ahead of the sleeve 1'2 and spaced apart pairs of clips 13 are welded thereto. Bracket arms 14 are mounted on the spacer sleeve 12 with their outer ends pivotally connected to the clips 13 by bolts 1'5. Other pairs of clips 16 are also welded to the bucket B in spaced relation.

Angularly disposed spaced apart mounting brackets 17 are provided on the sleeve 12 and hydraulic `tilt cylinders 1S are pivotally connected to said brackets by means of pins 19, the piston rods 20 being connected to the bracket clips 16 by means of pins in the usual manner.

Hydraulic lines 21 and 22 connected to the opposite ends of the tilt cylinder 1S, and to a suitable source of power supply (not shown) provided on the tractor, and it will be obvious that the tilt of the bucket can be readily controlled by said hydraulic tilt cylinders.

The bucket raising means comprises the main lift cylinders 24 connected at the one end to ear clips 25 provided cn the sleeve 12. A piston rod 26 is slidable in each cylinder as usual, said rod projecting from the opposite end of each cylinder and being pivotally connected to the A-frarne loader mounting frame 8 by means of pins 27. The hydraulic lines 28 lead from each cylinder 2d to the source of power supply on the tractor. This arrangementserves to swing the bucket up and over the tractor so -that the load can be dumped into a truck T, all as indicated in broken lines in Fig. l, after which the bucket is again returned to loading position. Y

Briey, the operation of the loader is as follows: With the tractor and bucket in position shown in broken lines at E, the operator drives the tractor in the direction, indicated by a solid arrow, to fill said bucket. When the bucket B is loaded, the tractor is reversed to move it back to the original position. The main lift cylinders 24 then raise the bucket and swing it over the tractor, and simultaneously the bucket lift cylinders 18 are operated to control and hold the bucket in position to prevent spillage of the fload until it is swung over the truck, once the bucket is near to a position over the truck the bucket is allowed to pivot about the hinge pins 13 to discharge its load. With this arrangement there is no swinging movement nor travel of the tractor, consequently, side thrusts and strains are eliminated. There is a minium of tractor travel, because the tractor moves but a limited distance back and forth, the bucket being swung over the truck and thus saving considerable time and increasing the etciency and life of the tractor and associated loader parts.

From the foregoing description it will be obvious that I have perfected a very simple, practical, and substantial power loading mechanism which can be readily and quickly attached to and/ or detached from a conventional tractor.

What I claim is:

1. In a crawler type vehicle overshot loader, a mobile frame, a loader-mounting bracket mounted on each side of said frame, loader arms pivotally connected to said mounting brackets, a spacer member connecting the outer end of said arms and a bucket hingedly connected to the outer end of said loader arms lift cylinders pivoti Y 2,841,299L

l., pally connected to. ,said, spacer member, a piston rod j assembly. slidably mounted in each cylinderland pivotally connected to the upper ends of each mountingrbracket, and tilt cylinders mounted on said spacer and pivotally connected to said-bucketVA Y Y 5 '2; Thefcombination as in claim ;l .in .which the mobile frame includes spaced apart shafts and wheelsgccontinu- :nous treads ,trainedi ther'eoverLiwith thei'ends ofithel loader ="..armsrhinge'dlyzconnected to. said; mountingbrackets at a u :pointin :substantial horizontal alignment with saidlshafts,

'saidbucketabeing swingable over said vehicle.

c 3.The combination as defined in claim 1, in which the ,atilt eylindersare connected to, said, bucket at a point abovethehorizontal center line thereof.

.4. Inavehicleloader attachment for a mobile frame; ;a.loaderl. mounting .bracket-formounting lon, each side L of. saidf frame; aV loader-as`se`mbly including a pair of 1;, spacedapartf arms :and a buckethingedly carried by said `Yfarms. near'their front ends; the-rear ends of said arms .being pivotally connected to said mounting brackets; at Uleastone-extensible, uid'pressure, lift cylinder -disposed in'a vertical plane out of thevertical planes of said arms pivotally connected to one of said mounting brackets at ai spaced distance above the connection of said arms; and

Y Y sure lift cylinders disposed in vertical planes out of the wverticahplanes of.said arms. pivotallywconnected tosaid. mounting brackets at a spaced distance above the connection of said arms and to said assemblyvnear the front ends of said arms for swinging said arms through an arc of substantially 180, the cylinder having a piston rod`V Y assembly in extended position when the` arms are swung down so that the bucket Ais Vnear ground level and at Vleastone extensible fluid pressure tilt cylinder. connected between said Varmsand bucket for tiltingsaid bucket. Y

7. in a vehicle loaderya mobile frame; axle shafts car- Y ried by said mobile frame for supporting vehicles thereon, a loader ymountingV bracket carried by said framernear each side of said frame; a loader assembly including arms and a carrier hingedly supported by said arms near their front ends, said arms beingf pivotally connected to said mounting brackets at theirV rear ends at ,pointsV sub- Y stantially in horizontal alignment with said axle shafts; at vleast one power operated, KVextensiblerliftmember disposed in aivertical plane out of the vertical plane of said arms pivotally connected to oneV of said brackets at a point a spaced'distance above the connection of said arms and to said assembly near the front Vends f said arms for swinging said arms through a substantial arc over toY said assemblyV nearthe front ends of said arms Vfor swinging said arms through an arc of substantially 180,

' the cylinder khavinga piston rod assembly in extended 'positionl'whenthe-arms are swung down so that the bucket is near ground level; and at leastrone extensible vfluid pressurek tilt cylinder'supported by said arms and Y connected to the -buc'ket at apoint oiset from the hinged front ends, said arms being pivotally connectedto said mounting brackets at their rear ends; at least one power operated, extensible,'lift member disposed in a vertical plane outV of the vertical plane of said -arms pivotally connected toY one of said brackets at a point a spaced distance above the Yconnection of saidA arms and to said Y having an extnesible member in extended position when.

the top of the vehicle'from either end, saidrlift Ymember the arms are swungrdown so that the carrier is near ground level; and remotely controlled meansconnected Vto, said,V

carrier for tilting said carrier while ing in said arc. `V

8. In a vehicle loader; a mobile frame, a 'loader mount ing bracket carried by said frame near each side'of said frame; a loader assembly comprising armsY anda bucket hingedlysupportedlbyl said Yarmsnear their front ends, said arms being pivotally connected to'said mounting brackets at their rear ends; at least Vone power operated said arms are travelextensible liftv member disposed in a vertical planeout of the vertical plane of said arms; pivotally connected to Y one of said brackets at a point a spaced vertical distanceV from the connection of said varms and to said arms for swinging s aid arms through'a substantial arc overthe'top of the vehicle, said'lift member having an extensibleVV member in extended position vwhen thefarms l are swung down so that the carrier is near groundlevel; and re'-Y motely controlled means connected to said; carrier forY tilting said carrier while'it is traveling in Vsaid arc.

assembly near the front ends of Vsaid'arms for swinging said arms through a substantial arc overV the top ofthe vehicle, saidvlift member having an extensible member L in extended position when the arms are swung downlso that` the carrier isnear ground level; and remotely con- Y A trolled means operablerto tilt said carrier while the Y References Cited in the tile ofpatent` l ...armslare traveling in saidarc. Y UNIT TENTS Y 6. 'In a vehicle loader;'a mobile frame; a loader mount- Y -Ep STATE PA v ingbracket fixed on eachside of said frame; a loader 2,529,338 HDOVCI N0v 7,1950 assembly includingsa pairA of spaced apart arms and a 2,537,010 Q Andersen Jam 9, 1951V carrier hingedly carried by said arms near their front 2,679,327 Hlern I May 25, 1954 ends, the rear .ends of rsaid arms being pivotally con- 2,723,039 `Stueland,annn-v NOV 8.' 195.5

nected to .said mounting'brackets; lextensible uid pres- 

